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A review by ravensandpages
Age 16 by Rosena Fung
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Annick Press!
Age 16 is a moving coming-of-age story across nearly fifty years that tells the tale of Roz and her mother, Lydia, and grandmother, Mei Laan, and how hard being 16 is across generations. From Toronto to Hong Kong to Guandong, all three girls face trials that bleed into their relationships and illustrate a crucial, emotional portrait of generational trauma and young girlhood.
I didn't love the pacing and art style all the time, but the way the grandmother and mother interacted, the fractures in their relationships, they all hit incredibly close to home and I am very glad to see this join a beautiful literary canon of young adult graphic novels. It really speaks to both the teen experience and the adult experience in a way that makes me wonder if I'll appreciate this even more when I get older. If you're a fan of The Magic Fish or Mariko Tamaki's work, I would recommend giving AGE 16 a try.
❧ 3.5 ★
Age 16 is a moving coming-of-age story across nearly fifty years that tells the tale of Roz and her mother, Lydia, and grandmother, Mei Laan, and how hard being 16 is across generations. From Toronto to Hong Kong to Guandong, all three girls face trials that bleed into their relationships and illustrate a crucial, emotional portrait of generational trauma and young girlhood.
I didn't love the pacing and art style all the time, but the way the grandmother and mother interacted, the fractures in their relationships, they all hit incredibly close to home and I am very glad to see this join a beautiful literary canon of young adult graphic novels. It really speaks to both the teen experience and the adult experience in a way that makes me wonder if I'll appreciate this even more when I get older. If you're a fan of The Magic Fish or Mariko Tamaki's work, I would recommend giving AGE 16 a try.
❧ 3.5 ★
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder